Goodbye Young Marine

Omaha is grieving today. They have a lot of company. Their first casualty of the Iraq war is coming home for the final time and will be honored by his country, his state, his city, and his friends. Someone else may be there but he is only a couple of days old. The little boy is the newborn son of this young Marine and was born just two hours before his dad was killed.

His dad was a popular guy. He was a high school quarterback. Handsome. Motivated. Driven to be a leader. He married the beautiful cheerleader he always loved.

There is greatness in this, but also such a loss. If you are like me, tears form when you think about this young guy who now lays silent under a spread of red, white, and blue. What could his life have been? Wouldn't you have loved to have this little young family living next door to you? Son and dad playing ball in the backyard during summer. Dad mowing his lawn. Mom planting her flowers. Cub Scouts. Boy Scouts. Football Friday nights.

But this dad won't be here.

Or will he?

Take a minute and say a prayer for all of them. Cover his flag with a tear from your heart today. I can't imagine that even God's great hands can hold all of the tears.

Goodbye and God bless you young Marine.